Life is never planned
by Bmonti
Summary: AU. There life doesn't go the way they planned for. Tifa in the mist of owning a five star restaurant with the help of her brother Vincent. Yuffie has gotten a year to be free before having to take over the crown. Aerith a girl in the slums gets picked up by a Zack. Cloud has to learn to be a single father.YxV/CxT/AxZ ( i might change the rating to M later on)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys I haven't posted anything in such a long time been soo busy lately it's been sad but I decided to try this out I have to warn you I have no idea where I'm going with this fic hopefully somewhere good. Ohh and holding auditions for a beta so anyone interested?  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own anything it all belongs to well not me  
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Life is never planned

Fear wasn't something the young ninja was use to, in fact the feeling she was feeling as she stood in front of Tifa's newly built 5 star restaurant was definitely not fear. Shifting her bag from one shoulder to the other she started fidget. She was in no way scared that Tifa and Vincent might have forgotten her, after all it had only been 5 years with no contact.

Taking a big breath she forced her face into her normal grin stood up straight and marched towards the front entrance of the restaurant only to be met by a man in a suit and tie looking down at her like she was some kind of bug.

"Do you have a reservation?" the man with a tie and slicked back hair asked still looking down at her.

"Well you see I... don't have a reservation" the man lifted an eyebrow "but hold up I didn't come here to eat!"

"and what have you come here for miss?" if Yuffie didn't know better she would have sworn he was sneering at her but of course no one would sneer at the greatest ninja of all time right?

"Well ya see I'm an old friend of the owner Tifa Lockhart and I just came by to see her"

"May I have your name?"

"Yuffie!" she said smiling feeling like she was getting somewhere with this overly sophisticated man.

"Sorry uh miss Yuffie your name is not on the friends list I cannot allow you to see Miss Lockhart without being on the list or having had an appointment, please come back when you do"

This penguin man was starting to piss the young woman off "listen here unless you want the wrath of Wutai you will let me in to see Tifa!"

Penguin man ignored her and started talking to the next person in line. Of course she was not going to make a scene. She would wait and maybe if she waited long enough Tifa or Vincent might see her and let her in...so it was entirely not her fault when a smoke bomb went off in front of the entrance which just happened to give her time to sneak into the building.

Just as she entered the main room where people were being served she found herself feeling extremely underdressed in her khaki shorts and open midriff top some people only glanced in her direction while others openly stared. Walking though the place towards the kitchen like she owned the place a waiter suddenly stopped her.

"Can I help you miss?"

After what she went though with Mr. Penguin she wasn't going to make the same mistake and talk to the person instead she started to run.

"Hey! Stop!" the waiter shouted and suddenly the entrance to the kitchen was blocked by a bunch of other waiters. She intensely jumped over the railing to her right and found herself running up the stairs not having a clue where she was going. Until she ran straight into a small girl who she would say was about 7 or 8 years old both of them fell. Having had ninja training Yuffie grabbed the small girl and got them in the first door she found quickly putting her hand over the small girls mouth to keep her from giving away their position, she leaned against the door listening.

The thumps of people running past could be heard and then there was silence. She let out the breath that she had been holding. She looked around to find she had been hiding in a closet.

"Hey little girl, I'll take my hand of your mouth if you promise not to scream kay?"

The small girl in her arms nodded slowly and Yuffie did as she said

"Who are you?" the girl with big chocolate eyes asked

"Who am I? Only the greatest ninja to ever be alive." she suddenly jumped up with her hands on her hips "the single white rose of Wutai Yuffie Kisaragi!"

The girl looked up at her calmly "nice to meet you Yuffie, my names Marlene" she held out her small hand for Yuffie to shake and she took it gladly.

The faint sound of people walking back and opening doors put Yuffie on the edge and she quickly tried to find an escape route. Lucky she found one the vents just above her head. Grinning she looked down at the girl "so Marley do you want to be a ninja for a day" the girls eyes lit up with excitement and nodded her head.

"Great I need you to climb up my shoulders and open the vent then climb in and wait for me"

Marlene smiled and Yuffie helped her up on her shoulders pushing with all her strength she managed to get the girl in the vent and jumped in after her closing the vent just as someone opened the door. Making her way through the vents and peaking through every opening, she was still on her mission to find Tifa and or her brother Vincent with her new ninja in training following close being her.

Yuffie looked behind her to make sure the girl was still behind her but with the whole not looking where she was going she found herself falling/sliding down the vent with Marlene not far behind. The two of them landed on flour bags making white smoke rise everywhere and leaving the two girls coughing.

When the smoke finally cleared the two girls found themselves being glared at by the entire restaurant staff out of the corner of her eye she saw Mr. Penguin man smirking at her from the corner and when she turned her view at the person who was in front of her she smiled sheepishly.

The women in front of her with her long dark hair hands on her hips and her whine brown eyes glaring.

"Hey Teef long time no see"

**It was short but that's how I think an intro should be. Now I know my spelling and grammar might not be the best but i do try and thus the reason for me searching for a beta help would be appreciated... **

**Thanks for reading please Review**


	2. Chapter 2

**First of I have to say thanks to everyone who reviewed I was very surprised to see a review in the first hour and very happy although I now feel slightly pressured to do a very good chapter but don't worry it's a good type of pressure. I can honestly say I'm not as happy with this chap as I was with the first one but I figured the more I work on it the more I'm going to dislike anyway enough with me interrupting the story enjoy**

**I don't own Final fantasy really I don't.**

Tifa had been as busy as ever making the food and helping to serve currently being short staffed. Her busy day got a bit worse when she had been in the kitchen people were starting to run towards her where she had been collecting flour. The staff where saying things about smoke bombs, Marlene being kidnapped, a girl with short hair jumping around her restaurant and suddenly with a loud bang zaid girl and Marlene landed on the flour bags putting them all under a thick fog of smoke from the flour.

She glared at the mess they made and the disturbance of her restaurant.

"Hey Teef long time no see"

Her glare quickly fell into a smile when she noticed it was Yuffie, "I should have know it was you when they mentioned smoke bombs"

Marlene giggled they were completely covered in white flour "alright everyone back to work we have customers, Yuffie I take it you're going to be staying here for a while?"

Yuffie nodded sheepishly. "Al right then, I still have work to do and I think you need to go take a bath or something, Marlene why don't you take Yuffie upstairs and get cleaned up and show her the guest bedroom"

Marlene nodded taking Yuffie's hand; Yuffie stuck her tongue out as she passed Mr. Penguin man serves him right for not letting her in. Tifa just shook her head at Yuffie's actions, and quickly got everyone back to work. Making sure everything was running smoothly.

The kitchen was officially closed but the bar section was still open and Jessie the part timer had just came in to start her shift "hey Jessie, remember if any of the patrons give you any trouble you come get me."

"Sure will do, now go get some rest and tuck Marlene into bed" Jessie said as she ushered Tifa out of the bar.

"Oh and you're really sure you'll be alright without me here for the rest of the week?" Jessie asked Tifa had one foot on the first step "don't worry I think help fell from the vents today" She looked confused but didn't ask anything else as a customer just walked in.

Tifa managed to find the two girls cleanly dressed in their sleepwear watching one of Marlene's favourite princess movie " What's wrong with that princess didn't she learn how to at least protect herself, well at least she wasn't kidnapped instead she let herself be kidnapped, why is the queen always evil?" Tifa decided then to let them know she was there "Alright Marlene it's time for you to go to bed"

Marlene pouted "I want to see the end of the movie"

"You already know how it's going to end; you know the rules, remember tomorrow's Friday you'll get to stay up late"

Marlene got up still sulking a bit but doing as she was told she said goodnight to Yuffie and followed Tifa to let her tuck her in bed. When Tifa got back Yuffie had already switched the channel to some action movie but she soon turned the volume down when she saw Tifa coming in.

"So whose kid is that?" Yuffie asked

"You remember Barrett?" Yuffie nodded "Well he adopted her when she was 2, she came to stay with me last year, when he found work in the coal mines, and he wanted to wait till he finished building a house before taking her there"

"Oh" Yuffie's eyes scrunched up in thought "Why isn't my name on the friends list?"

Tifa looked confused for a second "What friends list?"

"Mr Penguin said if I didn't have an appointment or wasn't on the friends list that he wouldn't let me in"

Tifa laughed at the name Yuffie had given her doorman "Oh I see I'll have to talk to him about that, and besides I was not expecting to see you at all its been 5 years since you just came in said bye and left, didn't even know if you were still alive"

"Sorry about that, you know I went back to Wutai with my old man and how the country people are all about tradition and I was put in this very tough ninja school and to top it all off there where these boring princess classes!" it was hard for Tifa to remember that Yuffie was in fact the princess of Wutai they had met when Gilmore, her adopted father, had introduced them saying that she would be staying in Midgar and that she and Vincent needed to take care of her.

"So boobs you have a guy in your life yet"

"No I'm too busy with the business and Marlene right now to be thinking of men, you know I don't need one to take care of me, what about you?"

"Oh Godo has had me meet many potential suitors but none of them can handle a babe like me, although there was one, but that was right after I went to Wutai he wasn't a suitor though, anyway Godo said something about me needing to learn to support myself before being able to support a country. It's only for a year though but if I'm lucky I might get it to be two years so you have a job for me or what?"

Tifa smiled at Yuffie who was currently doing the best puppy eyes she could manage. "Well I might have an opening somewhere maybe you could help manage the bar at night and be waiter by day?"

"That would be perfect" Yuffie jumped hugging Tifa not hearing someone entering the room.

"Welcome back Vincent" Tifa said, Yuffie immediately let go of Tifa to turn and look at him, 5 years did a whole lot of good to him he looked older and he had grown out his hair, she couldn't seem to hide the small blush as his crimson eyes landed on her.

"Tifa, Yuffie" he greeted

Yuffie jumped up and hugged him "long time no see Vinnie how ya been?" she let go of him when he didn't return the hug. "I have been well; it's good to see you Yuffie"

Tifa stood up from the couch "I just gave Yuffie a job, so she's going to be staying here" Vincent nodded at that "Well then Tifa, Yuffie I need to check the books if you'll excuse me"

He left the room silently after that "I better go check on the bar so night Yuffie, I'm glad your back oh and you'll be starting work tomorrow at 9 so be ready I'll get you a uniform" Yuffie retreated to her room for the night

Her wonderful dreams of a dark and brooding gunslinger with a red cloak was horribly interrupted by a banging on her door she groggily opened her one eye. "Yuffie wake up!" she turned around and put the pillow over her head. Trying to go back to that dream she had been having, until someone pulled the covers off her taking that wonderful heat away. Yuffie jumped up ready to kick the person responsible only to trip and fall of the bed with a thump

"Ouch! That hurt" she moaned as she cradled her head. She looked up to see Tifa with some clothes folded over her arm. "Here this is your work clothes get ready and be in the kitchen in 15 min or no breakfast" She placed the clothes on her bed and left.

Yuffie quickly checked the outfit a pair of black pants a white button up shirt, black tie and a small apron. She immediately threw away the long pair of pants and got out her black shorts. There was no way she was going to hide her legs behind some long pants. She got down stairs and found Marlene already eating breakfast, Tifa handed her a plate as she sat down. She dug right into it "wow Teef I had no idea you could cook like this"

"Thanks, hurry up I need to put you through some quick training before I open the place...Marlene you're going to miss the bus"

Marlene grabbed her bag "Bye Tifa, Bye Yuffie" she shouted as she left the kitchen. Yuffie was just about to finish her last bite when Tifa already started pushing her towards the bar "you're going to have to start working in the bar first before you can work in the restaurant, and why are you wearing short oh never mind its almost time for the breakfast rush"

Yuffie was a fast learner never dropping a single Glass sticking her tongue out every time she saw Mr penguin man whose name she later found out was Bob which only made her laugh a bit more. Vincent showed up again briefly to talk to Tifa about a new delivery service saying something along the lines of the guy will be there at the end of the day or something. She was mentally scolding herself for the silly crush she still seemed to have on him she had been so sure it had been gone, but nooo she had to go and crush on a guy who is her best friend's older brother.

Yuffie had been so busy staring at Vincent that she failed to notice how she overfilling the glass of wine she had been pouring, the customer didn't seem to mind since he got more wine for the same price. She was wiping the mess she had made when Vincent walked over towards her.

"Yuffie" he said as he sat down on a bar stool, a bright smile lit her face "Hey Vince what can i do for you?"

"A glass of coral wine please" She quickly got him his drink "So Vinnie are you still a Turk?" she asked trying to make conversation  
"no"

"What are you doing now then?"

"I'm a co owner of a few small businesses this place being one of them"

"Wow so you're like rich now?"

He raised a brow "Yuffie don't even think about it"

"Think about what?" she asked oh so sweetly

"I know the exact amount of gill I have right now so I'll know it was you if there are any missing"

"Vincent" she sounded shocked "why would you think such awful things about me I've grown up since you last saw me I don't steal anymore"

"mmm" he said not really believing but not willing to continue the discussion.

She had to serve a customer before coming back with another question in mind "so are you still together with Lucrecia?" He stiffened at the mention of her name he took his last sip of the wine before standing up "hey Vince was it something I said?"

"Lucrecia and I are no longer together, if you'll excuse me I have work to do" he played for his drink and left. Leaving a very confused ninja behind.

Later when Vincent got his wallet out he noted that there was indeed money missing.

**So there you have it end of chapter two I think I've said all that is needed to say at the beginning... But you know still looking for a Beta *nudge nudge wink wink* oh and I already said thanks to the reviewers but I'd also like to thank the followers you guys are awsum :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Short chapter people... deal with it...sorry...**

**Why must i repeat myself so much i don't own anything**

She looked up at the man with the sky blue eyes holding out a helping hand "are you alright?" she didn't know what it was about this man, she's been having a hard time trusting people after what happened to her, but somehow him saving her from a group of men who had tried to rape her made him look like a hero. She took his outstretched hand.

He smiled "a pretty girl like you shouldn't be out this late, where do you live i'll take you home" at the mention of home tears trailed down her cheeks "i don't have a home anymore" she turned her head towards the building a few miles away that was set aflame

Zack immediately understood when she was looking at the house that was on fire "well if you have no place to stay you could stay with me" he said without thinking, she wiped the tears away but gave him a cautious look, "i didn't mean it like that!" Zack said waving his hands dramatically in front of him "i have a roommate and a kid, not my kid my roommates kid but it's not really his the boys adopted and well i thought...but if you don't want to i can take you to where you wana go and umm" he was now scratching the back of his head

The girl giggled at his nervousness a bad man would not be nervous a bad man was always confident in getting what he wants so maybe she thought "if it's not too much trouble I'd like to spend the night if you have extra space that is" Zack smiled grabbing her hands she flinched at the contact but he was too happy to notice "that's great come on, let's catch a train" she looked confused " a train?" he let go of her hands and started walking " yea i live on the plate" he suddenly stopped in mid stride making the girl bump onto his back

"i just realised i never asked your name.. Mine's Zack" he held out his hand to shake, taking his hand she shook it "I'm Aerith it's nice to meet you"

When they reach his place Aerith was pleasantly surprised she had expected to see him living in a flat or something instead they walked into the garden of a well of house two floors, she did note however that the garden needed work and when she walked in she could tell only guys lived there.

"Sorry about the place we have been meaning to clean it" she smiled "its fine" he led her into the kitchen "you want some coffee, tea?" she sat down by the kitchen table noting how the dishes were starting to pile up "Tea would be great 2 sugar no milk" he got the cups "good thing you don't drink milk we kinda ran out of milk this morning i forgot to go buy some today"

He placed the cup in front of her taking a seat on the other side of the table " lets make you more comfortable with staying here for the night go ahead ask anything you want to" she looked him over from the gorgeous blue eyes to his spiky black hair there was a scar on his face "life story?"

"let's see i was born in Gongaga I'm 23 i went to soldier got a best friend and now i'm currently a co owner of a business" she smiled " what business?"

"Zack and Clouds delivery service"

"Who's your business partner?" she took a sip of the tea it tasted just right

"Cloud he's also my roommate and best friend"

She smiled feeling more and more comfortable in his presents tears of what had happened long gone he helped her forget.

The front door burst open just then small footsteps could be heard running towards them the boy looked surprised when he saw uncle Zack sitting across from a pretty lady he looked from the one to the other "Hey Denzel, I'd like you to meet Aerith, she's going to stay here for a while" The boy walked up to Aerith to shake her hand she smiled sweetly "it's nice to meet you Denzel"

Another face popped into the kitchen Aerith looked up at the blond spiky headed man he looked confused for a second when he saw her she had still been shaking Denzel's hand "Cloud this is Aerith, Aerith this is Cloud" Zack said jumping up

Cloud nodded in her direction "Denzel, homework now" he said the boy immediately did what he was told grabbing his backpack that he had thrown down at the entrance and disappearing upstairs. "So Cloud listen Aerith's house was burned down by some thugs so i told her it was alright to stay here till she figures out what to do"

"No you didn't" Aerith interrupted him " you said i could stay the night not stay till i find a new place"

"did i?" he asked scratching the back of his head again "well either way i think you could stay until you find a new place, right Cloud?"

"i don't have a problem with it"

"if you're sure you're alright with it"

"of course what type of hero would i be if i just left a defenceless girl out on the streets?"

it turns out there dinner was takeaway wutaien food after Denzel had complained about being tired of eating pizza. After dinner the boys all sat in front of the tv Aerith snuck away from them and started cleaning the kitchen she liked a neat environment she was still busy with the dishes when Zack walked in noting the clean kitchen

"Hey you didn't have to, you know"

"I know but i have to do something you're letting me stay here so i figured its the least i could do"

He grabbed the dish towel and started helping her they stood there side to side talking about small things. it was strange she felt so safe around him like the bad things that happened earlier the day didn't matter.

He walked her to her room "good night" he said "night" she said he stood there staring into her green eyes for a moment before turning and walking to his own room.

**so there you have it a bit of cloud zack Aerith and denzel yay. my next update might take a lot longer i'm doing this Japanese course thing and its taking up a lot of my time and i will not lie i'm also watching game of thrones only started watching it a few days ago and now i'm hooked sorry about it. i'll try to update as soon as my addiction to series subsides. Thanks for reading and to everyone who reviewed you get a cyber cookie.**


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